Roller-skate



(No Model.)

G. D. BURTON.

ROLLER SKATE.

No; 279,220. Patented Ju ne 12,1883.

WITNESEI E5 INVENTUR Q to receive the axles c of the rollers (1, (shownv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. BURTON, OF NEWV IPSWVIOH, NEXV HAMPSHIRE.

ROLLER-SKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,220, dated June 12,1883.

Application filed March 26,1883. (No model.) g

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Gnonen D. BURTON, of NewIpswich, county of Hillsborough, State of New Hampshire, have inventedan Improvement in Roller-Skates, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts. My invention relates torollerskates, and has for its obj ect to produce a simple and inexpensive skate, and is embodied in a skate having .two rollers, one ateach end of the skate, and substantially at the middle thereof, the saidrollers running on an axle supported at its ends in the lower ends ofspring-pedestals made of thin strips of steel or other elas-- ticmaterial, rigidly fixed at their upper ends upon the skate-body orfoot-board. Yielding collars or washers are interposed between the endof the pedestals and suitable projections at the ends of theroller'axles, which thus permit a lateral movement of the pedestal uponthe said axles as the skate-body is rocked from its normally-uprightposition above the roller. Figure 1 is a side elevation of a skateembodying this invention; and Fig. 2 a transverse vertical sectionthereof on linear, Fig. 1. The skate-body a, of any suitable or usualconstruction, has rigidly fastened thereto, at either side and at itsforward and rear ends, spring-pedestals b, composed of steel or otherstrong elastic substance, the lower ends of which are thus free tospring laterally with relation to the skate-body. The said pedestals arecurved, as shown in Fig. 2, and are provided at their lower free endswith openings as two in number,) having broad cylindrical bearingsurfaces, and preferably somewhat rounded at their edges, as shown inFig. 2.

The rollers d are preventedfrom movinglongitudinally on their axles c bycollars f, fixed upon the said axle, as by pins h, and interposedbetween the said rollers and the ends of the pedestalsb.

Oneend of the axle c is provided with a flange, t, at a short distancefrom the normal bearing-point of the pedestal b, and the other end ofthe said axle is threaded, as shown at kfland providedwith a nut orthumb-screw, m.

Yielding collars or washers n, preferably of soft rubber, are interposedbetween the ends of the pedestals b and the flange t and nut m, whichconstitute projections or shoulders to keep the said washers in place.

Owing to the curvature and elasticity of the pedestals b, when moreweight is brought upon one side of the body or sole portion a of theskate than upon the other side, as when the foot of the wearer isinclined, the pedestals b, which are more heavily pressed upon, willyield or assume a greater curvature, and their lower free ends will moveoutward along the axle 0, thus compressing the washers n, and as soon asthe unequal pressure on the body a of the skate is removed, elasticityof the pedestals b and washers awill restore it to its normal horizontalposition. The requisite freedom of rocking movement is thus attained ina very simple manner, and the skate has very few parts, so that the costof construction is small, and it is not liable to get out of order.

1.. The skatebody and yielding pedestal composed of thin strips ofsteel' adapted to spring laterally with relation to the skatebody,combined with the rollers axles in the said pedestals, provided withprojections or shoulders, and the yielding washers interposed betweenthe said pedestals and shoulders, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the skate-body (l and laterally-yieldingspring-pedestals I) with the rollers (1, their axles, and collars fixedthereon at either side of the said rollers, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the laterally -yielding spring-pedestals androller-axles provided with a flange at one end and nut at the other end,of the rollers, and collars f and n on the said axles, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. D. BURTON.

Vitnesses:

Jos. P. LIVERMORE, BERNICE J. NoYEs.

